Just What The Doctor Ordered
by melinda08
Summary: Frasier/Lilith.  It all started with those five simple words: I'm going to kiss you...
1. I'm going to kiss you

"I am going to kiss you. I am going to kiss you long and I am going to kiss you hard but make no mistake- I am going to kiss you." And Frasier was true to his word. True he needed a little prompting from Lilith, but he most certainly kissed her. And he kissed her long and he kissed her hard. Diane was thrilled with the turn of events, but no one was more thrilled than Frasier himself. He wasn't looking for love and he wasn't expecting it, not after the disaster that was Diane Chambers. But this –thing- this budding of a relationship could be just what the doctor ordered.

In the afterglow of a very passionate encounter between two people who you would least expect it, Frasier marveled at Lilith's beauty. You'd never take notice of it, not at first, not with her hair pulled back so tightly in her infamous bun. But when she let her hair down, she was a sight to behold. And now in his arms, well, he most certainly couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Frasier, why are you staring at me?" Lilith asked coldly.

"I'm sorry sugarlips. I was just admiring your beauty. Does it make you feel uncomfortable?"

"A little." Secretly she was pleased though. She knew she intimated most every man she came across and it was nice to be so openly admired.

"Do you want me to stop?" Frasier asked nervously. Truth be told he was still a little scared of her.

"Not if you don't want another replay of what we just did."

Frasier laughed and then relaxed a little bit. Women-maybe all they needed was a little understanding and affection after all. He dared to gently move her raven hair off her planted kisses along her neckline.

"Frasier?"

"Yes darling?"

"Am I on the receiving end on one of your many sexual conquests?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Lilith looked at him. "To put it crudely is this a one night stand? I'm a professional adult, I can handle it if this is. I just would like the courtesy of your honesty so that I can catergorize this accordingly."

Frasier was mildy amused. "How would you like to 'categorize' this?"

"I would certainly not like to be a one night stand if that's what you're asking."

"You have a rough way of putting it but I think what you're saying is that you'd like to see where this leads. And Lilith I feel the same way. I see something special in you, something not so visible to the naked eye if you will, but I see someone worth getting to know, worth spending my time with. And hopefully you agree."

"I am not comfortable expressing myself the way you are, I think you will see. But yes, let's see where this leads."

And Frasier kissed her, he kissed her long and he kissed her hard.

And neither Frasier or Lilith ever looked back.


	2. you're going to kill me

She was late. Five days late to be precise. And Lilith was never late for anything, not for dinner, not for work, and certainly not for anything as important as _this. _The first day she shrugged off as an irregularity, a fluke of nature. By the second and third days she threw herself into the whirlwind romance that was hers and Frasier's and tried to pretend that everything was all right. On day four she kept telling herself she would give it one more day then she would find out if her worst fears were realized. And they were her worst fears.

Certainly she was not prepared to be a mother at this stage in her life. For one thing there was her thriving career. Being a mother meant sacrifice and she'd worked so hard to get where she was at. She worked crazy hours and how could she just throw away her status for the product of a relationship that she had no idea where it was going? There was Frasier… what in the world was she going to tell him? That she was one of the unlucky women whose birth control failed? Even she wouldn't believe that. More than likely he would frown upon her as some poor pathetic excuse of a woman, desperate to hold on to her man by getting herself, for lack of better words, knocked up. Certainly a man of Frasier's intellegence couldn't comprehend of an accidental conception. He didn't know her well enough to know her how seriously she took her birth control. She'd religiously studied every kind and had concluded that the pill was the best option for her, and it had appeared that she had made a grave mistake. Frasier might even accuse her of not taking her pill. As if she wanted to become a single mother.

All of these things aside, Lilith realized that she felt most saddened by the loss of her relationship with Frasier. She might manage being a single mother, though the thought was certainly overwhelming. But Dr. Frasier Crane was the first man who showered her with affection, sometimes more than she cared for, but he gave her pet names, he called when he said he would, (at last she'd met someone who valued punctuality as much as she did), the endearing way he handled her mail and sat outside her building when he first wanted to ask her out, the way she always beat him at Scrabble no matter how hard he tried and how frustrated he became- there were so many things she was going to miss about him.

There was no time for sentimentality, Lilith told herself. She drove down to the drugstore where she discreetly picked up a home pregnancy test. Praying that she wouldn't run into anyone she knew, she paid for it and then went home. After reading the instructions three times, she followed the instructions then waited the allotted amount of time and finally she looked over at the test. Her worst fears were confirmed. She was going to be a mother.


	3. I've got a secret

Lilith didn't know what she was going to do. Should she tell Frasier and risk a pity relationship? Or worse yet, have the humiliation of being dumped now when she needed him the most. The sad thing was that she knew he was someone she already cared for deeply and could easily grow to love. Love. There was a word she did not throw around carelessly. But Frasier was a man who was her intellectual equal, he was passionate( thus drawing out a passionate side to her she didn't even know existed), he had a strange but interesting wit, with finding a play on words she found charming, and a boyish charm to him that she found quite endearing. To say the least, they brought out the best in each other, and all of that was about to change.

She would have to tell him. It would only be fair to him. It would be best to face this thing head on and let the chips fall where they might. Win or lose, she was going to have to tell Frasier Crane that he was going to be a father, and if he couldn't accept it, then she would be a single mother, no matter how frightening the thought might be.

She knew where she would find him. Cheers. What was it about that bar that Frasier found so comforting? None of his friends could possibly offer him the kind of stimulating conversation that a man like him would thrive on. The enviroment wouldn't be the healthiest one, no matter how "fun" it might be. Oh well. Best to let Frasier have his little friends or he might wind up resenting her in the long run. This might not be the best place to tell him but then again there were witnesses so he couldn't kill her. Maybe.

All the way there she rehearsed what she was going to say to him but she hadn't been prepared for the look of joy on his face when he saw her walk in.

"Blossom bottom, what a surprise! I hadn't expected to see you here. Come in, let me get you a drink," Frasier smiled.

"No thank you. Frasier, I'd like to talk to you but I really think we should be alone."

"That's okay. I have no secrets from my friends. I know you can't wait to get me alone..unless that's what this is about," he laughed and his friends oohed and awed.

"You're not making this easy. Please…"

"No…anything you have to say you can say it right here," he reiterated.

Lilith took a deep breath. "Frasier I'm pregnant."

The bar grew quiet. Diane clapped her hands until Sam looked at her.

"This may sound indelicate but… who's the father?" Frasier asked nervously, praying for the answer he was hoping for.

Lilith opened her mouth and said the first name that came to mind. "Sam Malone."

Woody looked at Sam and said "Congratulations!"

Sam spoke up,"Now wait a minute…"

Frasier looked at Sam and then at Lilith. "Do you know what you have done? I have never told you about what he and Diane have done to me. They have wretched my heart from it's deep warm cavity and tore it out, tossed it about like a child's toy, then threw it into the river never to be seen again. Just as soon as someone managed to fish it out and place it back where it rightfully belonged, you go and replay this nightmare once again. Oh you are a cold one Lilith Sternin, you are a cold one. I hope you and Sam and your brood are a happy family," he spat out before glaring at Sam and then storming out.

Lilith knew right then and there she had made the biggest mistake of her life. How could she fix this?


	4. I've got to tell you

Lilith knew that Frasier must be wandering outside the city somewhere, angry and alone in his thoughts. How could she make this right? There was no way she could find him. All she could do was sit outside his apartment and wait for him and pray that she could resolve this. She had to make this right-she just had to. What on earth possessed her to name Sam Malone as the father of her child? Surely Frasier couldn't have- wouldn't have- believed her. Apparantly he did for it was one a.m. and he was still not back, leaving her nothing but time to reflect on the condition in which she now found herself in. Pregnant, alone, not to mention the condition Frasier was in-heartbroken, devestated, shocked-good grief he was liable to do anything under those circumstances.

She decided to head back to Cheers, where hopefully he'd sorted things out with Sam. That would make things only that much easier for her, not much, but a little. Predictably enough, there was her Frasier,(did she know her man or what?) drowning his sorrows over a scotch on the rocks.

Show no weakness. "Frasier might I have a word with you for a moment?"

"Why, because your last one went over like gangbusters at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?" Frasier asked bitterly.

"No it's because I owe you an apology and I think it's best we take this elsewhere. Sam, may we use your office?"

Sam looked at her curiously.

"Sam, I know that what I did was hurtful but it was not meant to be malicious to either you or Frasier and with that I hope that you can accept my apology," Lilith looked at him. She did not apologize often, she did not feel the need to, but when she did she came out and said what she needed to and let the chips fall where they might.

The former Red Sox relief pitcher was big enough to accept her apology; besides, it was his friend he was more worried about anyways. Now if it was any other babe claiming to be having his kid, then he might lose a night's sleep or two.

"Go on you two. Frasier, I really think you ought to hear her out."

Setting his glass down and knowing that he might regret this, Frasier led Lilith to the office, where they both sat down in uncomfortable silence.

"She left me at the altar," Frasier finally settled on.

Lilith looked at him.

"We were all set to get married and then she was gone. Just like that. She made a fool of me. Diane didn't say Sam's name but she didn't have to. It was he who she loved all along. I was just a passenger in the sedan of the damned. It wasn't just that she left me- it was the way she left me. She left me without a shred of dignity, without an ounce of pride left. My reputation ruined, I had to start my career over again. It was months before I could come back to Cheers, the haunt of my friends. And it was all because of Sam Malone. So when you told me…." Frasier stared off into space.

"Frasier, I had no idea how deeply you had been wounded by events surrounding him. If I had certainly I would have come up with a different name than his. Rather I certainly would have told you the truth."

He looked at her, not knowing if he could believe her or handle it once he heard it. "Which is?"

"Frasier you are going to be a father."


	5. Your  big mouth

"I'm going to be a father?" Frasier repeated.

"Yes my love. It is you that has planted the seed of my unborn child. I apologize for the way that the truth has been revealed but I think it is important that you know so that you can make the best decisions for your future," Lilith started.

"And what decision is that? Whether or not to marry you? Tell me Lilith that is if that is your actual name how long have you planned this? You decided to trap me into this future without my knowledge or my agreement and what do you expect me to do? Get down on my knees and ask you to marry me?"

The thought had crossed her mind, although she would never admit it to him now. "I expect you to stop acting like an ass. You have a child on the way. Grow up. What I would like and what I expect are two different things. What I would like for you to do is stop crying and realize how much of an imposition this is on me but I will make the best of it with or without your help. What I expect is that you will run crying to your barfly friends about how unfair life is. Might I suggest you get over yourself and make the best of it like I intend to do?"

"Lilith.."

"No Frasier. You made it perfectly clear how you feel. I will be going now and leave you to your newfound freedom. I hope it's worth it. "

As Lilith turned to walk away, Frasier knew that he had never felt so helpless before in his life. The best thing to ever happen to him had just walked out of his life, and he didn't know what he could do to make things right. All he knew was that he didn't want to be alone right now. Alone with his thoughts- not a good place for him to be. Time to head back to Cheers, the one place he knew he was wanted, unlike with Lilith. Lilith. Oh Lord, how could he ever win her back? He would find a way, if that was the last thing he did. His child depended on him.


	6. Chapter 6

Frasier did what he had done during their early courtship years- waited outside for two weeks in front of her apartment, waiting, watching, hoping. This was going to work, he was sure of it. He loved Lilith, he hadn't realized just how much until he lost her. He acted like an ass with her, to be sure, but in all fairness she did push his panic button with the Sam Malone comment. As much as it had hurt him to lose Diane- and it hurt plenty- just the thought of never kissing Lilith again was pure torture.

Finally Lilith arrived home, and tonight was going to be different. Tonight was going to be the night he got through to her, and he would reclaim the ready-made family that was his. Here goes nothing, he thought.

"Lilith- wait a minute. I need to speak with you."

She turned and stared icily at him. "You have three minutes."

"Thank you, Lilith. I know how much of a difficult position that I put you in, and I don't blame you for being angry."

"How sympathetic."

"No, just hear me out. I know that I said some things that I wish that I could take back, but I can't. All I can do is promise you that in the future I will be the best father and husband that I know how. I love you, sweet bun, and nothing you say or do is going to change that."

She stared at him. "Did you say…husband?"

Frasier smiled. "Yes, my love, I said husband. What I am trying to ask, in my own clumsy way, is –will you marry me?"

The normally stoic Lilith couldn't refrain from smiling. Was this really happening? Did he really just ask her to marry him?

"Frasier, I appreciate your gesture, but you do not have to do this. I'm a little insulted that you would stoop to this cliché."

"It's no cliché. I love you and there is no one else I would rather be the mother of my children than you. Ever since you walked into my life, I have been a changed man. I was able to let go of my baggage and focus on the future. There is a huge debt of gratitude that I owe you, in which I plan on spending the rest of my life repaying. Don't do this for the baby. I am sure that you will be a wonderful mother regardless of the situation. Do this for us. I am the man who will always be in love with you, Lilith."

She could feel her walls coming down, as no man had ever spoke so poetically to her in all of her life. Despite her icy exterior, all she ever wanted was what every woman wanted-to be loved and accepted for who she was, faults and all. Frasier wasn't perfect, but he was perfect for her, she decided.

"Yes, Frasier. I will marry you. I know that I have not told you this, ever, but I do feel a resemblance of love towards you. It is an unfamiliar feeling, I must admit, but I must warn you- if you ever hurt me…"

"Don't worry about that. You said yes! She said yes! Hey, I have an idea. How about we go to the bar for a little celebration? Ginger ale for you, of course."

"I can think of a better way to celebrate," she grinned slyly. It took Frasier a minute to realize what she had meant, but when he did, there was no telling him twice. Yes, life was good, indeed.


	7. Chapter 7

When Lilith and Frasier finally cleared up the misunderstanding to the gang at Cheers, no one was happier for them than Diane. She'd always felt a tremendous sense of guilt for leaving Frasier at the altar, so it was nice to see him so happy. Not that she didn't have her concerns, but for right now, he was at the top of the world, and it was nice to see.

"Another round for my friends! Some ginger ale for the little mother to be," Frasier grinned.

"Where have you been all my life?" Norm smiled. "You should have knocked up your girlfriend years ago."

"Now, Norman, there is more reason to celebrate than just another free beer! They have created life, which is filled with endless possibilities. They could be the next great scholar, write the Great American Novel, and discover a cure for cancer…" Diane joined in.

"Diane, aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? After all, our offspring is little more than just a seed in his mother's womb, not able to understand or give anything other than inducing the occasional bout of vomiting, of course," Frasier laughed.

"Are you saying that our offspring is not destined for great things in life?" Lilith asked. "Or am I to assume that by our hanging out in this place, our seedling will become nothing more than a seat warmer at a small watering hole?"

"Of course not, Lilith. We both know that our offspring will automatically have at least a 50 point higher I.Q. than any one of Sam's customers. No offense, guys."

"None taken, you big weenie," Norm lifted his glass and took a long sip of the cool beer.

"People, people, people. We're here to celebrate a momentous occasion! Two of us are having a baby; they are bringing forth life into this world. They are representatives of all that is good and right in this world. Can we please have a peaceful moment?" Diane yelled.

"Are you just saying that because you still feel guilty over leaving him at the altar?" Sam quizzed as he wiped out a glass.

"Of course not. I do feel badly for my behavior, but look how well things have worked out for the both of us! I've moved on, he's moved on- he's going to be a father. Join me in lifting my glass to this celebration of life that has joined us together."

"Just think that could have been you Miss Chambers," Woody spoke up.

Everyone started laughing, everyone except for Frasier, Lilith and Diane. "Woody, Woody Woody, my dear comrade, I think that's a bit of a stretch. After all, Frasier and I were most responsible- in that area.?

"What area?"

"Never you mind," she patted his hand. "It is important that we make a conscious decision to look forward, and to celebrate this newest development in our friends' lives. To Frasier and Lilith- and their little one."

Everyone took a sip, and Frasier quietly took ahold of Lilith's hand. Yes, it was a great day at Cheers, indeed.


	8. Chapter 8

So as the weeks went on, Frasier continued to visit his friends at Cheers, but for the most part, he always found his thoughts returning to Lilith. Lilith! What a woman she was. There had been many great scholars throughout history, but he had surmised that even Aristotle would be hard pressed for words to describe Lilith. She was a cold one, all right, with an icy exterior that even mother nature wouldn't be able to chip away at. But when they were alone, just the two of them, well, nothing gave him more pleasure than seeing his beloved so happy.

"Darling? What are you thinking about?" Frasier asked as he nestled beside Lilith, fresh from another round of lovemaking.

"It's nothing."

"Obviously you are distracted, and while I dare hope you are consumed by thoughts of how adequate a lover I am, it is apparent to me that you have something on your mind. Please, Lilith, if we are to enter into any kind of future together, I hope that you trust me enough to share with me your innermost thoughts," Frasier smiled right before kissing her on the forehead.

"I must confess to feeling some apprehension about tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Oh, yes, the doctor's appointment. I understand your fears, but there is no reason to think that it will go other than splendidly."

"I wish I could share your enthusiasm, but I cannot. What if the doctor tells me there is something wrong with the child? What if he is unable, for some unknown reason, to detect a heartbeat? What if our child is...deformed in some way or the other?"

"You have done everything in your power to ensure the well-being of our child, and I love you for that. You take care of yourself. I know that the morning sickness has been unbearable, but trust me when I say, you have nothing to worry about. I will be there, holding your hand, should you so desire."

"You mean you've canceled your lunchtime appointment with the gang of Cheers? How thoughtful," Lilith retorted.

"You know I don't spend as much time there as I did. I only wish to share my joy at discovering you and our child with some of the most important people in my life. Is that a crime?" he responded.

"No. I suppose not. Better now than after the child is born."

"There you go! That's a healthy way of looking at things!"

"Frasier, do you really believe what you've said to me? That our child will be all right?"

"He'll be better than all right. With you as a mother, how can he possibly be less than perfect?"

She squeezed his hand. "I love you, Frasier."

"I love you, too. More than you can possibly imagine."

TBC


End file.
